The martial arts community in the Midlands is abuzz with the recent achievements of Dudley and Oldbury TAGB Tae Kwon-Do Clubs, along with the Stourport TAGB Tae Kwon-Do Club, which proudly introduced a new 2nd Degree Black Belt recipient. With a legacy spanning over 35 years, Dudley TAGB Tae Kwon-Do Club continues to produce outstanding black belt achievers. At the recent grading event, the accomplished Victoria Massey ascended to the 1st Degree Black Belt rank, showcasing her skills in front of 5 TAGB Grand Masters. Vince Farquharson, the World Master and chief instructor of the club, praised Vicky’s dedication, emphasizing the critical role of discipline in mastering Tae Kwon-Do’s intricate techniques.

Noteworthy for its focus on physical and mental resilience, the Oldbury TAGB Tae Kwon-Do Club celebrated Lemar’s promotion to 1st Degree Black Belt, guided by dedicated instructors, including Master Vince Farquharson, Lisa Brown, and Georgia Elwell. Farquharson highlighted the club’s emphasis on holistic development, nurturing discipline and self-confidence in their students.

Simultaneously, the Stourport TAGB Tae Kwon-Do Club proudly recognized Kambiz Bassir’s dedication and perseverance, leading to his remarkable achievement of the 2nd Degree Black Belt. World Master Farquharson, an instructor at the club, emphasized Kambiz’s commitment to the art, highlighting the significance of dedication in the pursuit of excellence.

For those inspired by these achievements, joining these clubs and commencing their Tae Kwon-Do journey is an accessible process. Prospective students can enroll in beginner’s classes, where experienced instructors meticulously guide them through fundamental techniques and principles. As they progress, a series of challenging yet rewarding training modules pave the way toward achieving the esteemed black belt status.

Dudley and Oldbury TAGB Tae Kwon-Do Clubs, alongside the Stourport TAGB Tae Kwon-Do Club, are not only centres of physical prowess but also nurturing environments for the mind, body, and spirit. These institutions epitomize unwavering dedication, where the pursuit of excellence seamlessly integrates with the cultivation of inner balance. As these emerging black belts illuminate the Midlands, their journey serves as a poignant reminder that greatness is a continuous pursuit, fuelled by passion and perseverance.

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What an achievement! And the headline says it all! Oldbury student Claire Dudley was awarded Best in Grading exactly 6 months following the birth of her daughter this year!

Lockdown and training at home has been a struggle for all students. Persevering against all odds, students of Oldbury TAGB Tae Kwon-Do managed just that – training every week on Zoom in their own homes determined to be promoted to their next grade as soon as possible. Claire had the additional challenge of training through her latest pregnancy.

Claire started training just before the COVID-19 pandemic with her partner Marek and two children Marshall, 7 and Lola, 5. Going into the first lockdown before the family could even take their first grading did not stop them though – following the first lockdown Claire and her family returned to Tae Kwon-Do, with the exciting news she was in the early stages of pregnancy. Claire completed her first grading achieving an A pass at 3 months pregnant, which is a fantastic achievement.

Having a baby did not stop Claire from training, in club or at home throughout the second or third lockdowns. Claire and her children took to Zoom every week learning new patterns, techniques and doing fitness exercises ready for the reopening of club and their next grading. Even after giving birth in January of this year Claire continued to train on Zoom supporting her children.

When sports clubs were finally allowed to reopen in May, following government guidelines, Claire and her family were some of the first through the door raring to go. Their perseverance, determination and standards had not waivered once during the pandemic and this was shown in their return to training.

Finally, in July – exactly 6 months after giving birth – Claire stood infront of Grand Master Paul Donnelly, 9^th Degree Black Belt to take her 2nd ever TAGB grading. Sharp movements, patterns and accurate techniques did not go unnoticed by the TAGB Grand Master. Not only did Claire achieve an A Pass grade, but she also was awarded “Best in Grading” by GM Donnelly. Singled out for her strong performance.

To say that this is amazing is an understatement – a superhero of a mother! Claire, Marek and now 3 children join us 3 times a week at our Dudley and Oldbury Taekwondo clubs excited to train and always putting in their best efforts. We cannot wait to see this family grow and develop. Whilst all pregnancy stories are different, Claire’s story shows us how determined and unstoppable mothers can be!

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It’s Blue Monday – one of the worst days of the year (apparently); Pay Day is still a week away, Christmas is well and truly over & we are all wondering when our next holiday is. Well if you’ve been struggling at work – you can boost your performance through Martial Arts training.

Before anything, don’t write this off thinking “What does work have to do with Martial Arts?”, hear us out – because this just might be your solution. For starters, performance is largely hindered by stress or unhappiness at work – Martial Arts can help you put this in reverse, and put a smile back on your face. This is only one of the benefits Martial Arts can offer. Read on to find out more:

1) IT BOOSTS YOUR PRODUCTIVITY

Ever felt happy and care free after a work out? If the answer is no – your missing out.
Scientifically you should always feel happy after a work out due to positive endorphins being released in the brain, helping promote positive thoughts and become a more motivational person.
This doesn’t totally stop you from being lethargic all day, however Martial Art classes give you something to work towards, an excitement for the end of the day – keeping you going.
And if the exercise and fitness level increase isn’t motivational enough – isn’t it exciting thinking about punching or kicking pads to release all that negative energy after work? It sounds pretty fun to us.

2) CLEARING THE MIND

Sometimes we come home from work and have a million and one things on our mind – work, kids, family, birthday’s, whatever it is, we’ve all been in that place where we just can’t concentrate. Unfortunately, these distractions take over and it does nothing but make us even less efficient.
When you train in Martial Arts – especially with West Midlands TAGB Tae Kwon-Do’s organisation, you will build the ability to focus and become present in the moment. Being able to focus during Tae Kwon-Do training, especially sparring, is crucial – you never want to drop your guard.
It might be tough initially to block out your distractions however over time there is no doubt you’ll be able to clear your mind easily when things pop up.

3) IT BUILDS YOUR CONFIDENCE

Self-doubt and confidence issues can cause many barriers in day to day life, including at work – not because you actually aren’t capable, but you believe you are not capable.
As you progress in your Tae Kwon-Do journey, your self-confidence will surface; you will learn how to look after your physical and mental health and have the ability to defend yourself in a time of need. This confidence will then stop you from questioning yourself in other aspects of your life.

4) IT ALLOWS YOU TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

West Midlands TAGB Tae Kwon-Do allows you to tap in to your own creativity, think outside the box and make quick “on your feet” decisions.
You will constantly have to come up with new ways to apply techniques and outsmart your opponents. When you first begin training with West Midlands Tae Kwon-Do, all your practical applications of techniques will be guided and while rising through the ranks you will come up with new initiative ways to use certain movements.
This also contributes to your cognitive function and growth of new brain cells – hence enhancing multiple parts of your life.

5) IT ALLOWS YOU TO LEAVE YOUR COMFORT ZONE

Sometimes, we don’t perform well because we are afraid of what might happen. Every decision you take is a risk, a gamble – you could win it all, and the universe has a funny way of not showing you whether you have won or not straight away.
The thing is; if you never try, you’ll never know.
There’s a whole world of boundaries in Martial Arts, ready for you to push beyond and overcome.
Martial Arts will expose you to all different types of situations; which will both scare you and make you feel uncomfortable. This will toughen you up mentally, and more importantly will teach you to strive in such situations. This new skill can then be embraced in every day life.

If you like the sound of these benefits – why not have a go? Come and book at any of our West Midlands TAGB Tae Kwon-Do clubs – and see what we can do for you!

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